I received a note on X.com from a fan who said all of the close games early in 2023-24 were killing him.
I went to work. And he was on to something.
Here's a list of the average margin of victory in a Bandits' regular-season game by year. The Bandits were headed to a record in terms of smallest average margin in their games. But then, things went "wrong." Buffalo won games by six, seven and nine goals down the stretch. Still, the average margin was the smallest since 2010, and that was by a margin of less than a tenth of a goal (2.944 to 2.938).
The 2025-26 season was almost a copy of the 2022-23 season. The leaders are in bold; some other years are on the same line to save printing space.
Year - Total/Games - Avg. Margin - Top Blowout - OT Games
2025-26 - 64/18 - 3.55 - 11 goals - 3 OTG
2024-25 - 71/18 - 3.94 - 11 goals - 2 OTG
2023-24 - 53/18 - 2.94 - 9 goals - 2 OTG
2022-23 - 64/18 - 3.55 - 11 goals - 4 OTG
2021-22 - 80/18 - 4.44 - 12 goals - 2 OTG
2019-20 - 36/11 - 3.27 - 7 goals - 2 OTG
2018-19 - 90/18 - 5.00 - 11 goals - 3 OTG
2017-18 - 92/18 - 5.11 - 13 goals - 2 OTG
2016-17 - 71/18 - 3.94 - 13 goals - 2 OTG
2016 - 67/18 - 3.72 - 7 goals - 2 OTG
2014-15 - 68/18 - 3.77 - 9 goals - 3 OTG
2013-14 - 60/18 - 3.33 - 11 goals- 2 OTG
2013 - 68/16 - 4.25 - 14 goals - 1 OTG; 2012 - 72/16 - 4.50 - 11 goals - 2 OTG
2011 - 48/16 - 3.00 - 9 goals - 2 OTG ;2010 - 47/16 - 2.94 - 7 goals - 3 OTG
2009 - 73/16 - 4.56 - 17 goals - 3 OTG; 2008 - 63/16 - 3.94 - 9 goals - 2 OTG
2007 - 61/16 - 3.81 - 10 goals - 2 OTG; 2006 - 46/16 - 2.88 - 10 goals - 2 OTG
2005 - 66/16 - 4.13 - 11 goals - 1 OTG; 2004 - 45/16 - 2.81 - 8 goals - 3 OTG
2003 - 79/16 - 4.94 - 14 goals - 0 OTG; 2002 - 46/16 - 2.88 - 11 goals - 2 OTG
2001 - 76/14 - 5.43 - 13 goals - 1 OTG; 2000 - 48/12 - 4.00 - 11 goals - 1 OTG
1999 - 27/12 - 2.25 - 7 goals - 2 OTG
1998 - 47/12 - 3.91 - 9 goals - 1 OTG; 1997 - 31/10 - 3.10 - 8 goals - 1 OTG
1996 - 55/10 - 5.50 - 22 goals - 0 OTG; 1995 - 35/8 - 4.38 - 11 goals - 1 OTG
1994 - 38/8 - 4.75 - 8 goals- 0 OTG; 1993 - 35/8 - 4.38 - 10 goals - 1 OTG;
1992 - 62/8 - 7.75 - 13 goals - 0 OTG
Updated on April 26, 2026
